Systra bags contract to develop Stockholm's First Driverless Metro Line

Stockholm, Sweden (Metro Rail Today): SYSTRA has been awarded the contract to develop the Swedish capital’s first automatic metro, the Yellow Line, marking a significant milestone for both the city and the engineering group. This new line will be the sixth in Stockholm’s metro network and aims to enhance urban mobility amid the city’s rapid growth.

The Yellow Line will connect Älvsjö and Fridhemsplan through an entirely underground route with six stations. Designed to accommodate the city’s expanding population, the line will serve nearly 50,000 residents and is expected to carry up to 75,000 passengers daily by 2050.

SYSTRA will support FUT (Förvaltning för Utbyggd Tunnelbana), the agency overseeing metro expansion, in implementing all system components over a nine-year period. This project includes a fully integrated traffic system, encompassing rolling stock, signaling, and safety features.

The Yellow Line will be Sweden’s first driverless metro, featuring a Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) system—the highest level of automated train operation. It will also include platform screen doors to enhance passenger safety. To optimize efficiency, the line will operate shorter 75-meter trains at higher frequencies, reducing station wait times.

For SYSTRA, this contract represents its first major metro project in Stockholm and its first full-scale systems project management assignment in Sweden. This milestone strengthens the company’s presence in Scandinavia and reinforces its expertise in automated metro systems.

An international team led by Oriana Castellanos, Pierre Castanier, and Neil Bullass will oversee project coordination, with technical support from automation specialists in the United States. The team will manage technical specifications, systems integration, interface management, operational design, and risk mitigation.

SYSTRA will leverage experience from similar automation projects in Brussels and the construction of a new metro line in Toulouse to ensure the successful implementation of Stockholm’s Yellow Line.

This transformative project is set to redefine urban transit in Stockholm, offering a safer, more efficient, and technologically advanced metro experience for residents and visitors alike.